Nonprofit Branding: What Does Branding Mean for a Small Nonprofit?

An excerpt from a course called Behavioral Branding for Nonprofits available at www.MainStreetNonprofitTraining.com

Have you ever found a truly concise definition that articulates clearly what branding means to a nonprofit organization? It's a complicated term that has become more of a buzzword than anything else. Branding originated with cattle, when farmhands would use a hot iron to brand their ranch's symbol into the livestock's hide so they could identify their steer if they were stolen. As time went on, the term was picked up by marketers and used in the consumer sector for retail products. Then about 20 years ago, the term hit the rest of the business world and took on its complex buzzword status. Because of that, many nonprofit leaders feel that they have to work on branding, but no one really knows what that exactly means.

Are you worried now that you're not executing the branding process properly? Breathe easy. You're probably doing just fine, but we offer a course that will help you refine your branding skills and be truly confident in the process.

So let's start with the basics. What is branding as it applies to a small, local nonprofit or foundation? Here is the definition we use here at www.MainStreetNonprofitTraining.com: Branding is how your organization behaves. Many people think that branding means logos, taglines and the like, and to some small extent it does, but some organizations with terrible logos and no taglines have mastered the art of branding. Branding exists in the everyday actions of your nonprofit that represent the image you present to the community; this is what we refer to as behavioral branding.

So what does behavioral branding look like? Consider this example: You have a board or committee meeting where everyone needs to decide the color of your logo, whether it's teal or aqua, and then select between Helvetica and Garamond for the font. Those meetings are fun; you're addressing a small element of branding where people really get to feel creative. Now imagine you're at the same meeting and you're deciding whether or not to fire the receptionist because she repeatedly exhibits a grumpy attitude on the phone and refuses to take any constructive criticism on how to improve. Not at all fun, but this decision will affect your overall branding much more than your logo. The receptionist is often the first line of contact that the public will have with your nonprofit. If callers are greeted with poor customer service, then that reflects poorly on your entire organization, much more than the teal Helvetica logo.

This is the philosophy behind Behavioral Branding. For more information, visit www.MainStreetNonprofitTraining.com and scroll down the home page looking for the Branding PDF course.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• nonprofit branding
• non profit branding
• foundation branding
• nonprofit PR
• nonprofit marketing